BASEBALL: Verdugo’s seventh-inning single lifts Rams over La Costa Canyon

Jose Verdugo singled through a drawn-in infield with one out in the top of the seventh to score two runs and give Rancho’s baseball team a 6-4 win over La Costa Canyon (Calif.) on Thursday at the Lions Tournament in San Diego.

The Rams trailed 4-3 entering the seventh, but tied the game on a safety squeeze bunt by Bryce Harrell. With the bases loaded and one out, Verdugo muscled a single through the infield to score two runs for the final margin.

Verdugo went 2-for-4 with four RBIs, and Dylan Pletsch was 2-for-4 with an RBI for Rancho.

Pletsch also went the distance to get the win. He allowed two earned runs on five hits with five strikeouts.

Coronado 11, Mira Mesa (Calif.) 4 — At San Diego, Sterling Saltz went 2-for-3 with a double and threeRBis to lead the Cougars to the win in the Lions Tournament.

Jackson Cofer, Nicco Festa and Jacob Kline each added two hits, including a double, for Coronado. Cofer scored twice, Kline had two runs and an RBI and Festa scored a run for the Cougars.

Birmingham (Calif.) 1, Foothill 0 — At San Diego, Victor Mercado’s two-out RBI single in the bottom of the seventh gave the Patriots the win over the Falcons in the Lions Tournament.

Victor Robles walked with one out, stole second and went to third on a throwing error.

After a strikeout, Mercado singled to left to end the game.

Bligh Madris went the distance for Foothill, allowing six hits and striking out 10.

Alec Mathis was 2-for-3 for Foothill.

Sahuaro (Ariz.) 11, Silverado 1 — At San Diego, Justin Hammergren homered and Winston Welch threw a four-hitter as the Cougars earned a six-inning win over the Skyhawks in the Lions Tournament.

Chase Cortez was 2-for-2 for Silverado.

Poway (Calif.) 7, Green Valley 1 — At San Diego, Sam Godfrey was 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI, and the Titans scored six runs in the final two innings to down the Gators in the Lions Tournament.

Jarrett Perns was 1-for-3 with a run for Green Valley.